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Death of the Moon
by Brian Panhuyzen
Cormorant Books, 1999.

Reviewed by Michael Bryson

Quick. Name a Dutch-Canadian writer. Can't? Pick up Brian Panhuyzen's self-designed debut and hear some new rhythms, stories told with a booming confidence and a huckster's wit. 

These are stories that owe more to Saturday morning cartoons than Chekovian moments or Carveresque characters, though they aren't without subtlety, symbolism, meaningful incidents or any of the other high points on the writer's school checklist. 

Panhuyzen offers a balanced diet of plot-driven and experimental narratives, throws in some science fiction and a unique indexing system. There is no place in Panhuyzen's debut for self-conscious wallowing in over-sensitive emotions. 

Here instead are new strategies for Canadian storytelling – strategies remarkably Pynchonian – that is, multiple genre integration. Imagine Atwood with a healthy dose of Star Trek. 

Isn't it about time?
 

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The Danforth Review is produced in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. All content is copyright of its creator and cannot be copied, printed, or downloaded without the consent of its creator. The Danforth Review is edited by Michael Bryson. Poetry Editors are Geoff Cook and Shane Neilson. Reviews Editor is K.I. Press. All views expressed are those of the writer only. International submissions are encouraged. The Danforth Review is archived in the National Library of Canada. ISSN 1494-6114. 

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We acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts which last year invested $19.1 million in writing and publishing throughout Canada. Nous remercions de son soutien le Conseil des Arts du Canada, qui a investi 19,1 millions de dollars l'an dernier dans les lettres et l'édition à travers le Canada.